Australian wildlife trained to avoid cane toads

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Cane toads are warty, leathery creatures that have become one of Australa's most notorious and resilient pestsRob Elliott/AFP

Sophie TedmansonSydney

Last updated at 5:12AM, November 28 2012

Some of Australia’s native animals have been fed nauseating sausages made of
cane toad meat in an unusual attempt to train them not to eat toxic species.

The sausages, created by scientists using less poisonous parts of the cane
toads combined with a nausea-inducing salt, have proved so unappealing that
some dingoes have been filmed spitting out the meat made from the warty,
leathery creatures.

Cane toads, which have a venom sac on their heads that is toxic enough to kill
snakes and crocodiles, are advancing across northwestern Australia at a
speed of 50km (31 miles) a year.